If you get my daily tip newsletter (it’s free and you can sign up here), you know that last year I wrote a tip stating “Don’t Leave Japan Without Buying this Addictive Snack“). While in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, I noticed passengers going crazy in the Duty Free shops, buying boxes of something called Potato Farm Jaga Pokkuru Snacks. The employee trying to restock couldn’t even get them on the shelves so he just left them on the trolley and let customers grab them from there.
Of course, when I see a frenzy like that I know something is good so I bought two boxes. In that case, each comes with 10 individual packets. Like a fool I didn’t try them until I was home, and after one bite I knew I made a mistake for not buying the store’s five-box limit.
They cost 600 yen each ($5 US) in the store but on Amazon they go for $18 US (the price has come down $5 since last year). The chips are shaped and taste just like french fries. They were so good that I wanted to export them to the US, but obviously I didn’t.
Then, last week while flying first class (I got upgraded for free thanks to my elite status) from San Francisco to L.A. on American Airlines, I noticed a new offering in the snack basket that the flight attendants were passing around.
Whole Cuts looked to me like they might taste the same as my Japanese snacks, so I tried them—and sure enough they did! When I returned home I bought them on Amazon so Natalie could experience them too. She loved them, too!
Like the Japanese chips, they aren’t that cheap ($15.99 on Amazon) but believe me when I say they are both worth it.
UPDATED: August 2020
Trader Joe’s sells them for $1.99! They’re called Spud Crunchies.
The company that makes the Jaga Pokkuru, Calbee, is the same company that makes the Whole Cuts. I’m glad the only thing they changed was the name in porting it to America.
Good to know!
I agree with you – they are fabulous.
So funny, I travelled first class on AA yesterday and I was immediately obsessed with this snack! I tried googling to find out how to buy them. The flight attendant even said she has to bring them home to her family because you can’t get them in stores.
I came back to the states from Japan a week ago, and was looking for the same potato snack that American Airlines served me. I’m glad I found your post. This Whole Cuts potato snack is abusolutely delicious! I bought a couple of bags at Walmart yesterday. I’m happy!